It’s Better to be Wise than to be Strong

 “Through wisdom is an house builded; And by understanding it is established: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled With all precious and pleasant riches. A wise man is strong; Yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭24‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭KJV‬

Wisdom from above says, “Wise people are builders — they build families, businesses, communities. And through intelligence and insight their enterprises are established and endure. Because of their skilled leadership, the hearts of people are filled with the treasures of wisdom and the pleasures of spiritual wealth. Wisdom can make anyone into a mighty warrior, and revelation-knowledge increases strength.” A house is built by wisdom and it is more than a structure with roof and a floor - it is a metaphor for families, churches, businesses and enterprises.  This wisdom from above in our inner chambers gives us righteous wealth.  This wisdom makes anyone a hero because it is better to be wise than to be strong.  For it is not from man that we draw our life but from God as we are being joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. And now He is our God-given wisdom, our virtue, our holiness, and our redemption.  If anyone boasts, let him only boast in all that the Lord has done!  Amen!

One Way, One Truth, One Life, One Judgment

 “And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭16‬:‭30‬-‭31‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Dr. Luke writes, “What if they’re not listening?’ the rich man added. ‘If someone from the dead were to go and warn them, they would surely repent.’ “Abraham said to him, ‘If they wouldn’t listen to Moses and the prophets, neither would they be convinced if someone were raised from the dead!’  The rich man had lived totally depending on money and worldly power, never thinking about death, judgment and the after life.  When he asked Abraham to tell his family members about the tormented place he was in, Abraham said that they never listened to Moses or the prophets and neither will they listen to someone who rose from the dead.  Jesus is that “someone” Who rose from the grave, yet many still will not listen and believe.  The world and money power is such a deception to the people.  Religions and philosophies that are tolerant of sin will also deceive.  Jesus said, “I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”  Let’s proclaim this truth that there is only one life, after that is the judgment, and there is no other way to eternal life except through Jesus Christ.  Choose life in Christ.  Amen!

Trample over All the Power of the Enemy

 “Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, When it giveth his colour in the cup, When it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, And stingeth like an adder.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭23‬:‭31‬-‭32‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Wisdom from above says, “And don’t be drunk with wine but be known as one who enjoys the company of the lovers of God, for drunkenness brings the sting of a serpent, like the fangs of a viper spreading poison into your soul.”  Meditate on righteousness as one who is passionate about God rather than getting into an addiction.  The Hebrew for “horned serpent” or “dragon” is basilisk which root word means “little king”.  This is the poison of demonic power that can cause addictions and rule over the soul like a  “little king”.  But for those who have chosen to believe in Jesus Christ and to follow Him wholeheartedly, He says, “Now you understand that I have imparted to you My authority to trample over satan’s kingdom. You will trample upon every demon before you and overcome every power Satan possesses. Absolutely nothing will harm you as you walk in this authority.”  Great is the power Jesus has given the Church to be His authority on earth in the Kingdom of God.  Amen!

Our Great Shepherd

 “What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭15‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Dr. Luke writes, “There once was a shepherd with a hundred lambs, but one of his lambs wandered away and was lost. So the shepherd left the ninety-nine lambs out in the open field and searched in the wilderness for that one lost lamb. He didn’t stop until he finally found it. With exuberant joy, he raised it up, placed it on his shoulders, and carried it back with cheerful delight!”  There is this theory going around that shepherds take the errant lamb and break its leg to ensure that it doesn’t run away again.  This is so not what Jesus does as here in the parable Jesus tells that the shepherd finds the lamb and raises it up and places it on his shoulders and brings it back, rejoicing.  As Jesus said, “I Am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd  gives His Life for the sheep.”  Let’s thank our Father God. Now may the God of peace Who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the Blood of the everlasting covenant, make us complete in every good work to do His will, working in us what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory forever and ever. Amen!

Our Relationship with the Resurrected Christ is Most Important

 “Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: He that doth keep his soul shall be far from them. Train up a child in the way he should go: And when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭22‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭KJV‬

Wisdom from above says, “Twisted and perverse lives are surrounded by demonic influence. If you value your soul, stay far away from them. Dedicate your children to God and point them in the way that they should go, and the values they’ve learned from you will be with them for life.”  Thorns and snares are a metaphor of demonic curses and troubles.  Thorns are associated with the fall of Adam.  Jesus wore a crown of thorns and took away our curse.  The snares picture the temptations of evil that satan places in our path.  It is important to train up our children on the values of the Word of God from the time they’re born, declaring the Word of God over them.  As soon as they can, let’s help them to memorise the Word of God.  Educational institutions of today can snare children into believing in and adopting ungodly values, which are in rebellion against our Living God.  The relationship that believers have with the resurrected Christ can never be substituted by artificial intelligence apps!  Let’s teach our children to believe in Jesus Christ and come into a relationship with Him at an early age.  That’s how we train up our children.  Amen!

Seasoning Life With Salt

 “Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭14‬:‭34‬-‭35‬ ‭KJV‬ 

Dr. Luke writes, “Salt is good for seasoning. But if salt were to lose its flavor, how could it ever be restored? It will never be useful again, not even fit for the soil or the manure pile! If you have ears opened by the Spirit, then hear the meaning of what I have said and apply it to yourselves.”  The salt that has lost its flavour is foolish and the salt that keeps its flavour is wise.  Rabbinical tradition equates salt with wisdom.  In the time of Jesus, it was common practice to put salt on the wick of the lamp to increase its brightness.  The “salt” of wisdom will make our light shine even brighter.  Jesus talks of us as the salt of the earth and also calls us the light of the world.  Let’s use the wisdom of God to be the bright lights in this dark world, getting darker by the day. But the truth of the brightness of the light shining in and through us who believe in Christ, will cancel every darkness.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never overcome it.  Let’s be wise in shining brighter with the light of Jesus Christ.  Amen!

Appointed All Believers As Kings & Priests

“The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, As the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭21‬:‭1‬ ‭KJV

Wisdom from above says, “It’s as easy for God to steer a king’s heart for His purposes as it is for Him to direct the course of a stream.”  God is the source of Wisdom.  In the old covenant this wisdom was applicable for kings and priests chosen by God.  However, in the new covenant all believers in Christ’s finished work of the Cross, are made kings and priest by the Blood of the Lamb.  The apostle Peter reminds us that we are God’s chosen treasure —priests who are kings, a spiritual “nation” set apart as God’s devoted ones. He called us out of darkness to experience His marvelous light, and now He claims we as His very own. He did this so that we would broadcast His glorious wonders throughout the world!  Even John the beloved disciple reveals to us “You have chosen us to serve our God and formed us into a Kingdom  of priests who reign on the earth.”  “From Jesus Christ the Faithful Witness, the Firstborn from among the dead and the ruling King, Who rules over the kings of the earth! Now to the One Who constantly loves us and has loosed us from our sins by His Own Blood, and to the One Who has appointed us as a Kingdom of priests to serve His God and Father—to Him be glory and dominion throughout the eternity of eternities! Amen!”

Christ’s Kingdom Come

 “It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭13‬:‭19‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Dr. Luke writes, “God’s kingdom is like the smallest seed that one might plant in a garden. When it grows, it becomes a huge tree, with so many spreading branches that various birds make nests there.”  The LORD had spoken through the prophet Ezekiel “I will plant it on the highest mountain in Israel, where it will put out branches and bear fruit and grow into a stately cedar tree. Every kind of bird will find a home in it. Yes, in the shade of its branches the birds will make their nests.”  The obvious meaning of this parable is that the Kingdom of God will begin small but it will expand, grow and mature.  People from every nation will come and make a “neat” in God’s Kingdom realm.  This is what the Church is here for, to impact the earth in the way of the Lord Jesus Christ so that it keeps expanding and increasing.  It is our responsibility and every believer is called to turn many to righteousness and bring many people to the Kingdom of God and fulfil Jesus’ taught prayer, “For Thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever, Amen!

Nothing But the Blood of Jesus

 “Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭20‬:‭9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Wisdom from above says, “Which one of us can truly say, “I am free from sin in my life, for my heart is clean and pure”?”  The Hebrew for “clean” also means “perfect” or “holy”; and “pure” means “clear, bright, shining, unmixed.” Through God’s grace, by the Blood of Jesus, believers have been purified, made holy, and set free from our sins. In the old covenant, they had to sacrifice every time they sinned, but thank God that in the new covenant, by His one perfect sacrifice He made us perfectly holy and complete for all time! Since we are now joined to Christ, we have been given the treasures of redemption by His Blood—the total cancellation of our sins—all because of the cascading riches of His grace. This superabundant grace is already powerfully working in us, releasing all forms of wisdom and practical understanding.  This grace of the redemption by Christ’s Blood sacrifice is only available in this lifetime, after that is the judgment for all who have rejected God’s love of their own free will.  Let’s believe in God’s love that was revealed to us in Christ.  Thank You Jesus!

Let’s Not Be Hypocrites

 “In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Dr. Luke writes, “By now a crowd of many thousands had gathered around Jesus. So many people pushed to be near him, they began to trample one another. Jesus turned to his disciples and warned them, “Beware of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. It permeates everything they do and teach, like leaven. Everything hidden and covered up will soon be exposed. For the facade is falling down, and nothing will be kept secret for long. Whatever you have spoken in private will be public knowledge, and what you have whispered secretly behind closed doors will be broadcast far and wide for all to hear.”  Not only is He the God Who created all that is seen and unseen, and the precision design of the entire universe, but He also knows every thought, every attitude, every behaviour of every human being, past, present and future.  No one can fake it, or do a presentation of public relations with God.  The hypocrites know how to present fantastic appearances without the substance, as the Pharisees did.  The culture that we live in today seems to be all about a PR exercise!  We all are accountable to God with Whom we have to do.  Jesus bore the judgment of all humanity and took the punishment of the wrath of God, willingly, suffering an ignominious death.  If we don’t accept God’s forgiveness through Christ, and reject Him, or even if we say yes to Him along with anything or anybody else, it is unacceptable to God - it is Christ and Christ alone.  Let’s not be hypocrites.  Amen!